The current invention relates to Telecommunications Networks and in particular to the provision of Intelligent Network and non-Intelligent Network Services.
ITU Recommendations (Q.1221; Q.1222; Q.1223; Q.1224; Q.1225; Q.1228) define a number of Intelligent Network functions and functional relationships. Current intelligent network (IN) architecture uses the service switching point (SSP) to converge IN and non-IN call and connection control. For exchange to exchange signalling, the call control uses ISDN user part (ISUP) and, in the UK, also national user part (NUP) as defined in standards BTNR 167 and ITU-T Q.761-764. From the view point of the SSP, the IN standards define: management of the interaction of IN and non-IN services in the SSP; a service creation environment for IN services; a defined intelligent network application protocol (INAP) for signalling between the service control function (SCF) and the service switching function (SSF); an abstract internal entity definition of SSF and call control function (CCF) functionality within the SSP; and an originating and terminating state machine defining the relationship between call and connection control and IN service logic control realized through the use of the INAP interface defined between the SCF and the SSP. However the exact relationship between SSF and CCF is not defined in the standards.
WO-A-97 36430 assigned to British Telecommunications plc, describes a conventional intelligent network in which IN services are created in a service creation environment whereas non-IN services are not created in the service creation environment.
In intelligent networks service logic and data templates for supporting new services are created in the service creation environment function (SCEF). Current IN architecture definitions provide no single unified process in the SCEF for the definition of IN and non-IN service logic and service data inter-acting in a coherent manner.